Astigmatism

It is thought that the condition is inherited, so you are more likely to be astigmatic if one or both of your parents has the condition.

Astigmatism is a very common eye problem which causes blurred vision at all distances.

It is a refractive error caused by an imperfection in the eye – usually in the cornea (the clear front ‘window’ of the eye), but sometimes in the lens. The imperfection changes the way your eye focuses the light rays that pass into it. This can happen when:

The cornea is an oval ‘rugby ball’ shape rather than a round soccer ball shape

The lens is an oval ‘rugby ball shape’, rather than a round ‘soccer ball shape’

When either of these imperfections occur, it means the light that enters your eye doesn’t have a single point focus. This makes objects at all distances look blurry.

It is thought that the condition is inherited, so you are more likely to be astigmatic if one or both of your parents has the condition. However, it can also occur as a result of an eye injury that causes scarring on the cornea, and may also come about as a result of the eye condition keratoconus.

The Symptoms

As a condition Astigmatism can make a multitude of tasks more difficult – from close work like reading, to distance tasks like driving or watching television. Because of this, many people with astigmatism suffer sore or tired eyes from over-straining them. Headaches are also a common symptom.

Unlike short sightedness (which only affects distance vision) and long sightedness (which mainly affects close-up vision), astigmatism affects both distance and close vision. So if you notice objects at all distances seem blurry, this may be the reason.

Treatment

Refractive errors like astigmatism were traditionally corrected with glasses and contacts. In the case of astigmatism, and particularly severe astigmatism, there used to be no other option, as laser eye surgery was generally unsuitable. However, thanks to the advanced LASIK laser eye surgery now available many people affected can now enjoy permanent vision correction and freedom from the hassles of glasses and contacts.

To find out more about this condition and how we can help please contact us.